2010 has seen considerable set of disasters in South America – torrential rains in Brazil and Peru, and a major earthquake in Chile.

Late March and early April torrential rains in State of Rio de Janeiro and Rio itself triggered mudslides and hundreds of people were made homeless and more than a hundred died. Most of the damage was in Rio’s favelas, the city slams built on steep hillsides, and the rains are not going to affect arrival of tourists on tours to Brazil as the main tourist season in Brazil is Christmas to late February, the season of Carnivals.

Late February Chile suffered a severe earthquake that caused several hundred dead. Though major damage occurred in coastal areas of Central Chile and travel to the Lakes District and Patagonia has not been affected, tourists may be better off opting for a tour of Argentina instead at the moment.

If you had planned to tour Chile and Argentina simple won’t do, nor rest of South America interests you, perhaps you should ponder the Himalayas and a Nepal tour.

Late January saw heavy rains cause damage to the railway infrastructure between  Cuzco,  Ollantaytambo and Peru’s prime tourist destination of Machu Picchu. Though Machu Picchu was spared any damage due to the damage to the rail line Machu Picchu and other parts of the Urubamba Sacred Valley were closed for all of February and March.

Since March 29, however, Peru Rail has resumed operation of the train service and the Machu Picchu archaeological complex reopened as of April 1. As part of the rail line is still under reconstruction, visitors have to be transferred from Ollantaytambo station to  Piscacucho, the starting point  of the Inca Trail, by bus and from there proceed to Machu Picchu station by train. 

While unpredictable, weather and mother nature should not deter you from making your travel plans for the months ahead.